I'm willing to bet that this article is not the first article from Odyssey that you have read. If it is, I feel honored that it is mine, but more than likely you see hundreds on your timeline each week. You're probably thinking, "what is the deal with this company and why are my friends writing for them." I have been writing for Odyssey for about ten months now. With many articles under my belt, I think you could say I'm an Odyssey expert (not). If you have ever wondered if you should start writing for the Odyssey, head my warning; It is the worst job you could ever have in college. Here are seven reasons why.
1. You have to make your own hours.
Really, there is no one telling you to put "x" amount of hours of work in Monday - Friday. You could spread out writing your article over seven days or you could do it all in one sitting. This is the worst because you don't get to plan your social life around your work schedule, you can actually plan your work schedule around your social life. Gross.
2. Adding experience takes up room on your resume.
Employers would LOVE to see this type of experience on your resume so you kind of have to put it on there. Now you have less room to brag about your vague leadership experience or basic Microsoft Word capabilities.
3. You don't get a cool office, because you work at home.
Because you work from home, you don't get to fight traffic, park in a parking garage, or have awkward elevator conversations waiting to get to your floor. You can write from your bed if you want.
4. You have to pick your own topics.
With no one telling you what to write about, you have the complete freedom to write about what you want, you really are your own boss. You only have to write about things that interest you or things that you agree with. This eliminates the stress of hating your writing assignments and makes this job fun. A fun job? Who wants that?
5. You have to join a community of people from all around the country.
You can network and share skills with these people. The downside? You can benefit from other writers at any of the other 300+ communities across the nation. I mean, is a job really worth it if you got it by networking your contacts at rival schools?
6. You develop writing skills and relevant experience now, instead of waiting until you enter the workforce.
This makes you far more marketable than your peers which is a bummer. Who really wants the upper hand when they enter the real world. I like a challenge.
Okay, I guess this job isn't so bad. It is actually a pretty great deal. Complete freedom when it comes to topics and hours, prize money, networking opportunities and experience sounds good to me. If you have any questions about writing for the Odyssey, feel free to reach out to someone on your campus who writes for them. I highly recommend it.
